Kiryat Arba Calls for Change as Man Killed in Crash

Israelis in the Hevron region seek enforcement of traffic laws after a PA driver swerves, kills a local Israeli man.

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Maayana Miskin, 01/01/13 15:26

Funeral Tuesday

Arutz Sheva

Itai Galboa, 32, has been named as the victim of an early morning car crash in the Hevron region. Galboa, a resident of Kiryat Arba, was seriously injured when a second car plowed into his, and died a short time later.

The other car was driven by a Palestinian Authority resident. He and five passengers were taken to a nearby PA hospital with light injuries.

A funeral procession set out shortly after noon Tuesday for the Jewish cemetery in Hevron. Rabbi Dov Lior, the chief rabbi of Kiryat Arba, recalled Galboa as "a man who helped, assisted, an honest and righteous man."

The father of the deceased thanked the many friends and neighbors who have offered help and support in wake of the tragedy.

In Kiryat Arba, as in many other places in Judea and Samaria, residents have warned for some time that lax enforcement of traffic laws under the PA puts Israelis at risk. "Arabs run wild on the highway," one local man said bluntly. "The dividing line is just a recommendation to them, as are stop lights and speed limits."

Studies have shown that Arab male drivers are significantly more likely to commit traffic violations and to be involved in fatal car accidents in Israel. Some researchers have suggested that dangerous driving may stem from feelings of unfairness or victimization.

In wake of the latest accident, residents have called on police to put more officers on the streets in order to create safer roads for all.